Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Stealing the Show by Lilliana Rose

Kristie comes to the Royal Adelaide Show every year with the sheep. This year will she return with more than just prizes? Or will she steal the heart of a man as well, and snag the love of her life?

Kristie Johnson plans to run the family farm one day. As the only child, she lives with her parents and struggles to get them to see that she can make her own decisions and that she is a grown woman. Then, she meets Tully Row, a dancer performing at the show and she turns to him for a few days of fun. Instead she finds herself falling for him, especially when she finds out he’s a country boy himself.

The youngest of three sons, Tully was forced away from the farm he loved to the city to make his own living. He started dancing and was given a gig at the Royal Show. His family are at the show with the milking cattle and they spend more time arguing. He feels unsupported by them, and can’t get them see his performances. Kristie is a distraction, an enjoyable distraction at first, but then she steals his heart. Their shared lust turns into something deeper and more special between them.

Can both of them stand up to their families and follow their hearts to begin a relationship and their lives together?

“Ta.” Slamming a lid on the top of the paper cup, Kristie quickly turned around to hurry back to Ellie. She collided with someone else. Her hand crushed the paper cup, causing the lid to pop off and coffee to squirt in the air.

“Shit.” Kristie quickly changed hands on the paper cup, shaking off the hot coffee that had landed on her skin. Her anger flared as she glanced for the person she’d bumped into.

“Sorry.”

She gazed up straight into the softest blue eyes that cooled her anger at losing half her coffee, which was now staining her good shirt. Damn it all. Heat flushed her checks. She knew damn well that she hadn’t been looking where she was going.

Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes soaked in his features as if he were the caffeine shot she needed. Just taller than her, his tousled blonde hair was styled in a deliberate unkempt manner, dark stubble graced his chin, and he stood slightly taller than her average height of five foot five. His biceps bulged at the edge of the tight shirt he was wearing, and with a quick glance down. Tight waist, and a flush of heat made her lift her eyes. In one second flat, she had gone through her requirements and by appearance alone he ticked every one.

She swallowed hard. “My fault.”

Her voice squeaked and she cringed. Get a hold of yourself. She wasn’t looking for a fling. Or even anything more serious, not since the scare on her dad’s life. She had to be ready to run the farm. But this guy, standing in front of her, apologising when it was clearly her fault had set a fire low in her belly, and muscles contracting with hope.

“I’m in a rush. Meet me here after the show and I’ll get you another coffee.” His blue eyes soft and intense seemed to speak at a soul level to her.

Kristie paused. About half the coffee was on the ground or down the front of her blue striped shirt, and some on her blue jeans. But there was enough in the paper cup. “It’ll be all right. It was an accident.”

“No, promise me you’ll be here.” He put his hand on her arm. The heat from his palm burned through the material of her shirt, causing her knees to weaken.

“Please.”

Bloody hell. “I’ll be here. Good.” He smiled, then hurried away. Kristie stood there, staring at him, his tight arse in particular until he disappeared in the crowd. She sighed. Took a sip of her coffee. Can I really meet him here after the show?

Lilliana has grown up on a farm in Australia, and has now swapped her work boots for city heels. Country life remains strong in her heart and this comes out in the characters and stories she creates. Check out more of her work: http://www.lillianarose.com/